1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the treatment of dysphagia by prompting a subject to swallow at a point in time that is coordinated with breathing cycle, and then monitoring the response of the subject to swallowing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dysphagia is swallowing dysfunction. Dysphagia is commonly present in subjects with neurological, structural, and/or cognitive disorders. The impact to quality of life for dysphagia patients may be substantial. For example, subjects suffering from dysphagia may be affected by chronic malnutrition, dehydration, failure to thrive, aspiration pneumonia, and exacerbation of chronic lung disease.
Generally, conventional therapies for dysphagia include dietary modification, compensatory techniques like postural alterations, indirect therapy like strengthening exercises for swallowing muscles, and direct therapy like exercises during swallowing.